A SERIES OF THEFTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1860, 3 August 1918, Page 3

A SERIES OF THEFTS.

YOUTH COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Richard Harold Edwin Odes, a youth 17 years of age, was charged at the Police Court, Palmerston XT, on Thursday, (1) with Hie (heft at Foxton of £ls IDs in money and a pair of hoots, of (he total value of £l7, the properly of Arthur Jays; (2) the theft at Koxton of a motor cycle, value £9O, tin* properly of William Trask. Detective-Sergeant Qnirkc conducted the case for the police. Arthur Jay.-, Ilaxcnller, Palmerston Xorth, gave evidence that in June last lie worked with accused at Mr Boydon’s farm at Hinmtangi, where they occupied a luff together. On June I.oth last witness was in possession of a sum of money totalling £ls 10s, which he placed in the pocket of a pair of trousers in the luff, accused being present when the money was put away. Witness went to bed at 7 pan., and did not wake till 5 a.m. next morning, when he found tin* trousers were m>l there. They were afterwards found outside, but the money was missing. A pair of boots belonging to witness, valued at 50s, were also missing. Accused had disappeared, and Ids bed bad not been slept in.

George Westwood Trask, labourer, stated that be bad worked at Mr Boydon’s farm with accused who went under the name of William Jones. Witness occupied a hut about 200 yards from where accused lived on the farm. The Indian motor cycle (produced) belonged to witness. The cycle had been kept in a shed on the farm, and witness last saw it on 10th June. About 0 a.m. on June 11th the motor cycle was missing, and licensed had also disappeared from the farm. Accused had had no authority to take the cycle. The machine was valued at £9O. Detective-Sergeant Quirkc read a statement from accused, in which he (accused) admitted the thefts. He further stated that he had been licensed out from the Burnham Industrial School to a picture framer in Wellington, but bad got tired of the work and went to Foxton. After stealing the motor cycle and money he went to Dunedin, where he was arrested by the police on other charges. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

On a further charge of theft of a bicycle valued at £ls, Hie property of John Runeiman, at Hustings, accused was remanded until to-day.